Unocal pays penalty for inlet clean water violations
ANCHORAGE (AP) Unocal Corporation has agreed to pay a $370,000 federal penalty for a series of Clean Water Act violations at 11 of the company's Cook Inlet drilling sites, the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday.

Stevens denies pressuring Smithsonian
WASHINGTON (AP) Sen. Ted Stevens praised the Smithsonian Institution's decision to tone down a photo exhibit on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and move it to a less prominent gallery but said the decision had nothing to do with him.

RCA issue could get complicated again
ANCHORAGE (AP) A battle over the state's utility regulating panel led to a special session last year. This year, the governor asked for a simple extension of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. But a substitute that would put the Legislature firmly in the Alaska telecom wars is now in the House Finance Committee.

Man with famous name wins drug case appeal
FAIRBANKS (AP) The state Court of Appeals has agreed that a drug conviction against a Fairbanks man with a famous name should be overturned in part because the name was not sufficient reason for a package to searched.

Supreme Court justice says appointments becoming more political
FAIRBANKS (AP) The appointment of judges has become increasingly political and applicants' personal views are becoming more important than their legal expertise, a panel of prominent judges led by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Friday.

Young explains ANWR vote absence
WASHINGTON (AP) Alaska Congressman Don Young said Friday and award ceremony and traffic kept him from the House floor last month when he missed a vote on whether to drill for petroleum in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Fans flock to meet famous bird guide
ANCHORAGE (AP) Hundreds of local bird lovers flocked around premier bird artist and best-selling bird guide author David Allen Sibley when he blew into Anchorage for less than 24 hours.

Body of missing Aniak teen found in Kuskokwim River
ANCHORAGE (AP) The body of a 16-year-old Aniak boy was found floating on the Kuskokwim River, 75 miles downriver from a slough where he was believed to have fallen through in December, Alaska State Troopers said Friday.

EPA fines Unocal for clean water violations
ANCHORAGE (AP) California-based oil company Unocal Corp. has agreed to pay $370,000 in penalties for Clean Water Act violations at its Cook Inlet operations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday.

Clemens earns win No. 298 vs. Oakland
OAKLAND, Calif. Roger Clemens earned his 298th career victory, pitching shutout ball into the seventh inning and leading the New York Yankees over the Oakland Athletics 5-2 Saturday.

Cubs walk off with win over Cardinals
CHICAGO Alex Gonzalez hit his third extra-inning home run of the season, a solo shot with one out in the 10th that sent the Chicago Cubs to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

Teens: 'We just want to hang out'
Teens who frequent the Teen Center on the top floor of the Kenai Recreation Center fear new managers will force them to comply to Boys and Girls Club rules and force them to join in Boys and Girls Club programs.

Sides still clash on rec center issue
The Kenai City Council, Kenai Parks and Recreation Commission and representatives of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula met Tuesday to give the groups and the public another opportunity to voice and address concerns over a proposed partnership between the club and the city to operate the Kenai Recreation Center.

Soldotna welcomes soldier home
Not the falling rain, 40-degree temperature or even the hour delay from traffic could keep the community from coming out to show their support for returning soldier Amie Joy.

Loveda Hobbs
Kenai resident Loveda Hobbs died Friday, May 9, 2003, at Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna. She was 84.

New faces complicate tax-cut politics
WASHINGTON President Bush's economic team has changed completely in just six months, brings lots of new faces with little experience in dealing with Congress. And now is just when he most needs help in pushing through his tax cut.

Club takes hobby to lofty heights
"Reverse Cuban eight." The terse words carry over Lenny Perry's shoulders from behind as a sharp buzz penetrates the air of the cotton-clouded blue Sunday morning sky from above. That buzz is created by a canary yellow, red-and-blue-striped aircraft that twists and dances overhead following Perry's every whim, and in time to the commands he is given from a caller Mark Carr who stands just to the left and behind Perry.

My best friend
This photo of Elwood, an 11-year-old chow, was taken after he came indoors after a fresh snowfall. Elwood belongs to Diane Taylor, Dan Skipwith and their sons, Kelly and Clancy, of Soldotna.

Sometimes a smack attack can bite back
Now that the NBA playoffs are getting serious, expect an epidemic of trash talk, players creeping into each other's heads and amusing themselves with contemptuous chatter.

Mighty Ducks tame Wild
ST. PAUL, Minn. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks had the Minnesota Wild just where they wanted them in overtime, with an unbeatable goalie.

Picture raises suspicions about Funny Cide's jockey
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) The jockey who won the Kentucky Derby aboard Funny Cide is being investigated by track stewards who examined a photo of him possibly holding something besides his whip as he crossed the finish line.